I really had no intention of knitting a hat. It has been in the 40s (celsius) for weeks, so (a) there is no need for hats (b)I had other things to do. I was browsing Pinterest and found a really cute crocheted Hello Kitty hat and thought I need to make one of these. I didn’t want to crochet it so I thought I would just knit it instead. There was no pattern and I did not feel like finding one.

I grabbed some worsted weight yarn, swatched with 2 different sized needles, then started knitting. I remember when I first started knitting and crocheting and I had no idea what I was doing. I still don’t know what I am doing most of the time. But that night, I knew exactly how to construct a hat, how to measure gauge, how to use that gauge to figure out the number of stitches and how to get this done.

Basically, I told myself “I got this”. When we are just learning something we struggle with all of its elements, then practice and knowledge start replacing that frustration, more time and muscle memory takes over most of it. Have you even been some place, then found yourself at home, without even thinking how you drove home, maneuvered the roads or even thought about directions?

The hat is started with the ear flaps, they are made first, bottom up then the rest of the stitches are cast on in between them. This hat fits children and has a circumference of 18 inches

On a DPN cast on 3 stitches, without turning, scoot the stitches to the other side and knit the 3 stitches, keep on knitting and scooting to knit an I-Cord. If you have never knit one or find these instructions confusing, check out this video. Knit until it measures 14 inches.

From now on you will be turning each time as usual.

Row 1 P all stitches

Row 2 K 1, M1L, Knit to last stitch, M1R, K 1.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you have a total of 21 stitches.

Row 1 P all stitches

Row 2 K all stitches

Repeat rows 1 and 2 for a total of 7 times. Finishing on the wrong side. Leaving a long tail cut the yarn.

You have completed the first ear flap, do not cast off, leave it aside on the needle or on a lifeline.

Repeat the process, but this time, knit one more row, do not cut the yarn, CO 33 stitches. This page explains how to cast on in the middle of the work. Knit the stitches on the first ear flap, now it has the same number of rows as the other one. CO another 33 stitches, add a stitch marker and join with the first stitch from the first ear flap to join the round. The total number of stitches should be 108.

Continue knitting in the round until the peice measures 5 inches, from the edge of the brim (not the ear flaps). The brim might be rolling so make sure you measure it while flattening it. Crown decreases can now begin.

Round 1: *Knit 10, K2tog*

Round 2: Knit all stitches

Round 3: *Knit 9, K2tog*

Round 4: Knit all stitches

Round 5: *Knit 8, K2tog*

Round 6: Knit all stitches

Round 7: *Knit 7, K2tog*

Round 8: Knit all stitches

Round 9: *Knit 6, K2tog*

Round 10: Knit all stitches

Round 11: *Knit 5, K2tog*

Round 12: Knit all stitches

Round 13: *Knit 4, K2tog*

Round 14: Knit all stitches

Round 15: *Knit 3, K2tog*

Round 16: Knit all stitches

Round 17: *Knit 2, K2tog*

Round 18: Knit all stitches

Round 19: *Knit 1, K2tog*

Round 20: Knit all stitches

Round 21: *K2tog*

You should have 9 remaining stitches, cut of the yarn, thread the darning needle and insert the yarn into all 9 stitches, pull tight and weave in the end.

The socks are my only current WIP (work in progress). I managed to finish up everything else and trying to work at one thing at a time. They are for my daughter, she asked for them. The yarn is Knitpicks Felici and I had two balls of this colorway, my last two and since Felici has been discontinued I was hoarding them. For some reason I decided to use them. I have been decluttering all month, using the Konmari method from the book “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Japanese author Marie Kondo. The secret to her method is to only keep what truly brings you joy. Own only what you truly love and cherish and it will be enough.

I had already gotten rid of most of my yarn stash, all of the things I didn’t like got sent away to the charity place. Even my extra needles and hooks were sent. All that is left is yarn that I really like, that truly brings joy, so it did not make sense to save it anymore. I bought it to use it, so I might as well just do it.

I thought that I got rid of things easily, and in general I do. I try not to attach sentimental value to objects and things. I try to keep attachment in general to a minimum. But sometimes some items slip by. When I was tidying up, I found movie ticket stubs to when my husband and I first got married. I found notes we had written to each other. Forgotten at the back of drawers. So why had I held onto them? Why was it hard to throw them away? Maybe deep down we feel that these things become talismans of happy memories.

Marie explains why we don’t get rid of things “But when we really delve into the reasons for why we can’t let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future.” And to drive the point home she also wrote “Truly precious memories will never vanish even if you discard the objects associated with them.” and “It is not our memories but the person we have become because of those past experiences that we should treasure.”

She is right. The memories didn’t go away when I got rid of the stuff, the preciousness of the beautiful moments that I was tried to preserve did not fade away. Symbolically, to me personally, it felt that I should work harder on making more beautiful memories with the people I care about instead of trying to find mementos to preserve old memories with them. It works for the yarn too. Yes it will probably be the last time I will enjoy the yarn, but the socks will last longer, well maybe not for the 7 year old, who grows out of her socks in the blink of an eye. But the enjoyment of knitting them and seeing her wear them for some time is much greater than the yarn being left forgotten in the bottom of my yarn basket. There will always be more yarn and more beautiful memories, I just need to remember to make a conscious decision of choosing the joy of experience over the joy of possession.

I have been doing a lot of thinking. I think a lot. All the time. Sometimes I think about lots of things, sometimes I obsess about the same things over and over. This blog was one of those obsessive thoughts for the last couple of weeks. I love blogging. As much as I would like to think I blog for others to read (which I totally do) I also blog for myself. I love sharing the things I care about (unless it is french fries, I don’t like sharing my food). I love crafting, but I also love lots of other stuff. Over the years I have changed, but my interests and the things I have enjoyed doing have more or less stayed the same. When I was ten, I loved reading, comic books, making stuff, solving puzzles and listening to the radio. I am 33 and I am still a bookdragon (because bookwork is so meek), love comic books, love puzzles, all kinds of crafts interest me and I am a huge podcast geek.

I am also passionate about other things. I am currently a grad student, working on a Masters degree in Psychology. I have very strong feelings about women’s issues all over the world, but mostly in the Middle East. I am a foodie, I love good food and I love baking and cooking. I love art, looking at it, learning about its history and trying to create it myself. I love traveling, seeing the world and learning about different cultures. I love photography and stationary. I have a huge collection of fountain pens and will probably buy more.

I feel that for the longest time, I was boxed in by my own self, tried to compartmentalize my interests into neat little boxes. I tried keeping the different facets of my identity separate, without realizing I was the one limiting my interests. I used to think that I went through several identity crisis growing up, but now I realize my identity was quite clear, it was expressing it that was always the biggest hurdle.

It is time to try new things and love them and talk about them. If you read this blog for the knitting, I hope you stick around and invite me into your world too.

What is in your knitting notions kit? I keep all of my notions in a big tin, because I love them and it is easier to access whatever you need compared to a zippered case. I have a needle book where I keep most of the needles I use for weaving in the ends, I also have a set of three larger ones I use with bulky and super bulky yarn, they’re the ones in the tin. Stitch markers, needle threaders, a thimble, a pair of scissors, two measuring tapes and my stitch counter. There is also a few magnetic bookmarks that I use to mark printed patterns or my place in my stitch pattern books. I like having everything I need in the same place.